Good individuals are inclined to make extra logical, extra directly-related parallels and connections between the information and the popular culture they eat. So, my area of interest needs to be offering the wilder and more unusual ones as an alternative.

Estimated studying time: 4 minutes. Picture sources: College of Minnesota Retirees Affiliation and Amblin.

Final week, our Busan Ebook Membership lined The Lady with Seven Names by Hyeonseo Lee (2014—The StoryGraph, LibraryThing, GoodReads). A story of her escape from North to South Korea by way of a decade spent in China, and later her returning to the border to assist her mom and brother additionally escape, typically we discovered it very informative and transferring. However, we have been additionally struck by her unimaginable naivety, and sheer luck. Specifically, with out her household’s excessive standing inside North Korea, and with out having the ability to depend on rich connections and beneficiant benefactors on the final moments, there would have been no story to inform in any respect.

The sensible takeaway is how, by coincidence, these final two factors dovetailed with one about North Korean illustration made just a few days later by my Donsgeo College colleague, B. R. Myers, as a part of a presentation he gave at Seoul Metropolis Corridor on the Seoul Discussion board on North Korean Human Rights 2024. From his weblog, Sthele Press:

“….This brings me to the escapee subject. Today speak of the grim punishment awaiting repatriated escapees is commonly contradicted in the identical breath by reference to how so-and-so simply saved up sufficient cash for a second escape. The sum wanted simply earlier than the pandemic—if my sources are right—was over $5000, and let’s face it, that’s greater than the common American has within the financial institution, so I fear that if we proceed to current these individuals as consultant, we’ll be creating confusion about what dwelling requirements in North Korea are actually like. I’m not downplaying the ordeals that they all undergo, particularly the ladies who’re trafficked throughout the river, however it’s time, I consider, that we focused on the good mass of individuals inside North Korea.”

“That goes additionally for the problem of North Korean employees in China and Russia. Should you unfold the blame between three regimes, Kim will get off frivolously. Simply how dangerous are circumstances at residence, that folks compete to get handled like slaves in international international locations? I feel that’s what we should always deal with.”

Learn the remainder of Myers’s presentation there. Whereas my very own ideas could appear flippant by comparability, particularly given the gravity of these circumstances in North Korea, that’s completely not my intention. Quite, I really feel they solely assist underline his level about illustration all of the extra.

Particularly, reflecting on Lee’s unimaginable run of fine luck whereas I used to be studying her ebook, I couldn’t assist however continually be instantly reminded of a free-talking exercise I’ve been utilizing for the final 20+ years with my ESL college students, about what provides to prioritize within the occasion of a airplane crash within the Pacific Ocean. (I name it Forged Away after the 2000 film, however today most college students have by no means heard of it.). Which I grant does certainly sound weird, however the connection is there:

You see, most college students, and me too if I didn’t already know higher, rank apparent issues just like the fishing line and hooks very extremely. Solely, as I feel it was the US Coast Guard that defined issues within the model I initially bought this from, in reality each these and 12 different issues on this checklist are fully ineffective.

The reason is, fairly not like in motion pictures like Forged Away, the place the primary character rapidly paddles to a abandoned island to outlive on, in most oceans 99 per cent of airplane crash survivors merely wouldn’t. So, until they have been discovered inside 2-3 days, they’d die of thirst and solar publicity.

Which typically doesn’t make for riveting viewing.

Meaning we solely get motion pictures concerning the 1 per cent that do make it to land as an alternative. Main my college students to prioritize hooks, matches, and so forth. Whereas actually, the one genuinely helpful issues are the flare gun to assist rescuers discover you, and the bottles of water to present them an additional day or so to take action whilst you’re nonetheless able to firing it:

(Let me know in case you’d like a duplicate of my PPT, and the rationale behind the particular rating).

Properly, I spared the opposite ebook membership members this big segue in our assembly within the espresso store. However, now that I’ve put pen to paper right here, I’m certainly intrigued at how this—sadly named—’survivorship bias‘ doubtlessly colours narratives about North Korean and its escapees.

And likewise intrigued whether or not Lee is requested about her unimaginable luck on this 1.5 hour interview. I’ll let you recognize!

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Should you reside in South Korea, you’ll be able to donate by way of wire switch: Turnbull James Edward (Kookmin Financial institution/국민은행, 563401-01-214324)

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